Autonomous vehicles use various computing systems to aid in the transport of passengers from one location to another. Some autonomous vehicles may require some initial input or continuous input from an operator, such as a pilot, driver, or passenger. Other systems, such as autopilot systems, may be used only when the system has been engaged, which permits the operator to switch from a manual mode (where the operator exercises a high degree of control over the movement of the vehicle) to an autonomous mode (where the vehicle essentially drives itself) to modes that lie somewhere in between.
Such vehicles are equipped with various types of sensors in order to detect objects in the surroundings. For example, autonomous vehicles may include lasers, sonar, radar, cameras, and other devices that scan and record data from the vehicle's surroundings. These devices in combination (and in some cases alone) may be used determine the location of the object in three-dimensional space.
In determining whether there is an object near the autonomous vehicle, the computing systems may perform numerous calculations using a number of parameters. Adjustments to these parameters may affect the performance of the computing systems. For example, the adjustments may decrease the likelihood that the computing systems determine the presence of a given object or increase the likelihood that the computing systems do not detect the presence of an object, such as a car, traffic light, or pedestrian.